Shrouds are installed at different parts of a bucket for protecting defined bucket parts from abrasive wear. The installation of shrouds can prolong the bucket life since it will be sufficient to replace the outworn shrouds instead of purchasing a new bucket.
Currently, different kinds of shrouds are in use. For example, lip shrouds are placed on the leading edge of the bucket to protect the sensitive bucket edge parts which are strongly stressed during excavator work. Shrouds located at the bucket corner are called wing shrouds which are mainly designed for protection of the bucket cheek plates.
There are several processes known from the state of the art for mounting said protection means to the respective bucket parts. It is common practice to connect the protection means by bonding or welding. A further example suggests a wing shroud which is locked with a pin on a bucket sidewall. Another embodiment suggests protecting the top of a tooth adapter on the basis of a wear cap. On top of the wear cap a separated wing shroud is placed for protection of the bucket sidewall. Consequently, at least two single parts are necessary to achieve a sufficient protection of corner tooth adapter and sideplates. Regularly, said protection parts are held with an additional fixing element, in particular a pin or an axis situated on the bucket sidewall.
Alternatively, the above mentioned protection can be fixed by welded stopper arranged at the bucket. However, it is always necessary to modify the bucket or the shroud by a welding process.
All aforementioned solutions have the same disadvantage that the fixing of the protection requires additional parts to maintain a sufficient connection between the protection and the bucket. Consequently, replacement of the protection is either impossible or rather complicated and time-consuming.
Therefore, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a wing shroud for a bucket which can be easily fixed to a bucket without the need of extra equipment.
In accordance with the present disclosure, this object is initially solved by a wing shroud adapted to be positioned at least partially on a tooth adapter and/or at least partially on a lateral plate of the bucket for protecting wear sensitive bucket parts wherein the wing shroud comprises at least one self-lock mechanism for a detachable connection to the bucket. Advantageous aspects of the wing shroud in accordance with the present disclosure are provided in the sub claims following the main claim.
Accordingly, in one example, a wing shroud for an earth moving machine bucket, in particular a mining bucket, is adapted to be positioned at least partially on a tooth adapter and/or at least partially on the lateral plate of the bucket. In case of a corner tooth adapter connected to the bucket, in particular by a welding process, the inventive wear shroud protects the tooth adapter, the lateral plate of the bucket and the connection line, in particular the welding line between tooth adapter and bucket.
In case of a casted corner tooth adapter the tooth adapter comprises a vertical portion vertically extending from the top surface of the adapter. The vertical portion forms a part of the lateral plate of the bucket. The vertical portion is connected to the bucket, in particular by a welding process. The inventive wing shroud is adapted to protect the tooth adapter and the vertical portion of the tooth adapter and optionally the lateral plate of the bucket.
This offers a sufficient protection for the most wear sensitive bucket parts. Protection of at least one bucket tooth adapter and at least one lateral plate of the bucket and/or the vertical portion of the tooth adapter is achieved by one single shroud. The inventive shroud combines the protection function of a known wear cap and a wing shroud.
The wing shroud further comprises at least one self-lock mechanism for a detachable connection to the bucket. Therefore, the inventive wing shroud is maintained without any additional parts, as for example a pin, an axis, or with help of any welded parts at the bucket and/or tooth adapter. During connecting process a self-lock occurs between the wing shroud and the bucket and/or the tooth adapter which does not require any welded part at the bucket or at the wing shroud. Further, a very easy and comfortable way of replacing said wing shroud is possible. Especially, the present disclosure offers a hammerless installation and disassembly of the wing shroud after abrasive wear occurred.
In an example aspect of the present disclosure, the wing shroud is adapted to protect at least one tooth adapter, in particular, a corner tooth adapter or a casted corner tooth adapter, at least one lateral plate of the bucket and/or a vertical portion of the tooth adapter and/or the welding line between the tooth adapter and the lateral plate. Consequently, three or more wear sensitive parts of a bucket can be easily protected with only a single part, namely the inventive wing shroud.
In accordance with another advantageous aspect of the present disclosure at least one self-lock mechanism assures a form-lock between the shroud and the bucket.
It might be sufficient that the wing shroud comprises at least one self-lock mechanism for a detachable connection to the tooth adapter. Additionally or alternatively, the wing shroud may comprise a self-lock mechanism for a detachable connection to the lateral plate of the bucket or to the vertical portion of the tooth adapter. In a particular aspect of the present disclosure, the wing comprises at least one self-lock mechanism for a detachable connection to the tooth adapter and at least another separated self-lock mechanism for a detachable connection to the lateral plate.
The wing shroud and the bucket may be closely linked to each other by mechanically locking them together. For example the locking mechanism comprises at least one plug formed on an inner surface of the wing shroud. The formed plug is adapted to engage into a groove arranged at the bucket or the tooth adapter. Said plug may snap into the respective groove. Alternatively, at least one plug may be slid into the respective groove from a predefined direction.
If at least one plug is engaged with at least one groove a movement of the wing shroud will be blocked, in particular a vertical and/or horizontal movement of the wing shroud will be blocked.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, at least one plug is substantially wedge shaped. The plug may also be formed with one straight longitudinal side and one angular longitudinal side.
In an aspect of the present disclosure the wing shroud comprises an u-shaped cap member which is adapted to be arranged on top of at least one tooth adapter. The u-shaped cap member can partly embrace at least one tooth adapter to provide a sufficient protection of the covered tooth adapter part. In that case, at least one plug may be formed on an inner surface of the u-shaped cap member. In particular at least one plug extends horizontally along the inner surface of the cap member in parallel to the center line of the cap member. Especially, at least two plugs are arranged on opposite inner surfaces of the cap member.
According to another advantageous aspect of the present disclosure the wing shroud comprises a rising u-shaped neck member which extends from a base member, in particular from the u-shaped cap member of the shroud. The u-shaped neck member may be adapted to be arranged on the vertical front edge of the lateral plate of the bucket and/or the vertical front edge of the vertical portion of the tooth adapter when connecting the shroud to the bucket. In particular, the u-shaped neck member is adapted to partly embrace the lateral plate and/or vertical portion.
The present disclosure is further directed to a bucket for an earth moving machine comprising at least one wing shroud according to the present disclosure or according to any of the advantageous aspects of the present disclosure. Obviously, the bucket offers the same characteristics and benefits as the above mentioned wing shroud.
In an example aspect of the present disclosure, a horizontal movement of the wing shroud which is connected to the bucket is prevented by at least one tooth connected to a tooth adapter. In that case, at least one wing shroud may be detachable connected to the bucket on the basis of at least one locking mechanism. In particular, the wing shroud is connected to the bucket by at least one plug engaging in a respective groove of the bucket and by blocking a horizontal movement of the wing shroud by a tooth connected to the protected tooth adapter.
Further, the present disclosure is directed to an earth moving machine, in particular a mining machine, having at least one bucket according to the present disclosure.
Further details and advantages of the present disclosure will be explained in detail with reference to an embodiment illustrated in the drawings.